


A Grain of Salt

by Deaflittlesnail



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017), The Worst Witch - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-05-13 09:20:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14746110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deaflittlesnail/pseuds/Deaflittlesnail
Summary: Ethel goads Mildred into a potions contest... with a very short time limit... this may end badly for one of them





	A Grain of Salt

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Catmca100](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catmca100/gifts).



> catmca100 gave me a prompt for a Mildred vs Ethel fic where Mildred came out ahead.

Two weeks detention seemed overkill for the potions mishap, Mildred Hubble thought. She was standing on a step stool, scraping congealing potion goo from the walls, two days into her punishment. The potions classroom seemed a lot larger when it was just her.

“I thought Miss Hardbroom was going to combust.” Ethel laughed, arms folded as she entered the empty room. “You realise that’s the fourth potion you’ve ruined this week.” Her grin grew. “Maybe you’re not the worst witch after all, Mildred. Maybe you’re not even a witch.”

That wasn’t true. Mildred knew it. But anger and pride got the best of her.

“I am so!” She snapped, cheeks red. If only Enid and Maud were here.

Ethel rolled her eyes.

“Witches can make potions!” The blonde returned, gloating at her believed insight.

“I can make potions! It’s just a few mistakes is all.”

“Four in a row isn’t a few mistakes. My mum says that’s a habit. You’re a bad habit!” Ethel smirked. “Worse now than you were back in first year. No wonder you’re all alone in detention. Not even Enid is making these mistakes. Just. Dumb. Mildred.”

Mildred felt tears smart at the back of her eyes.

“I’m not dumb.” She whispered under her breath. “I’m not.”

Ethel didn’t hear her.

“Nothing to say?” She teased.

Mildred stepped down off the stool and waved the scraper at the bully.

“I am not dumb. I know just as much about potions as you do! I bet I could beat you making any potion you picked!”

Both girls were silent.

What!? Where had that come from Milly? She chastised herself. Ethel would mop the floor with her.

“Prove it.” The girl hissed between clenched teeth. “Miss Hardbroom is at dinner. We have twenty minutes.” She glanced around, eyebrows lifting. “Twenty minutes to make a perfect Clipping potion.”

Mildred’s eyebrows furrowed.

“That need two hours, Ethel.”

The blonde shrugged.

“I can do it in twenty minutes. Guess you’re not the show off you think you are.”

Mildred glared at her.

“Stop it! I can do it.”

They couldn’t. But neither were going to admit it.

Ten minutes later, both were struggling with their cauldrons, eyes occasionally checking to ensure no professor had wandered in. Mainly Miss Hardbroom. Cleaning up your exploded potion was one thing; making an unauthorised potion without supervision was quite another. Especially for the challenge of a bully. Miss Hardbroom would call it childish and silly. Mildred knew that much.

“Coming along pretty well…” Ethel simpered.

Mildred rolled her eyes, tossing more henbane into her cauldron. She had to find a way to speed up the cooking process. A safe way. Wracking her brain, she remembered her mum adding salt to the potato water to get them to boil faster. Witches used salt!

She carefully measured a handful and slipped it in, making sure Ethel didn’t see.

It began to froth almost immediately and she felt a proud and warm glow fill her small frame. She’d finally get one over in Ethel!

“What is this?” Miss Hardbroom suddenly stood by her desk, obviously surprised to find two of her worst headaches head to head in a cooking contest.

“We were just testing something, Miss.” Ethel chirped. She seemed sure that she had done nothing wrong.

Typical Hallow, Mildred inwardly muttered.

Miss Hardbroom looked back and forth between them, still tense and irritated.

“And why would you two need to test anything. Together. During dinner time.” She clipped each part in her distinct stern manner, impatience somehow bleeding into the calm tone.

“Ethel wanted to make a potion for Miss Cackle.” Mildred gasped, seizing her chance.

Both witches stared at her.

“What?” Ethel gaped.

Mildred grinned, stirring her cauldron.

“You wanted to make a nail clipping potion because you heard her say they were out of it in the infirmary and she had an ingrown toe.” She glanced back to Miss Hardbroom, who looked suspicious. “I was already here because of my detention, so I suggested we make it now instead of in class.” The blame was all on her now.

“Classrooms are only to be used during class hours and only under supervision. You both are well aware of this.” Miss Hardbroom sighed. “Let me see what you have.”

Both young witches almost fell over. Had HB, strictest professor in Cackles immediate history just offer to check their very-much-against-the-rules potions!?

She looked at Ethel’s first, glaring at the concoction unimpressed and saying nothing. Then she transferred to Mildred’s side, one long finger pushing the girl’s hand away from the spoon still stirring.

Her expression was hard to read- mainly because Mildred had only seen it a brief handful of times. The soft crinkle of skin around the rigid woman’s eyes as her hard visage cracked into something almost soft… almost impressed.

“It looks adequate, Miss Hubble.” She took the ladle and sipped the tiniest sip, eye twitching slightly.

“Excellent.”

Mildred had died. She had shown up Ethel, gotten two compliments from HB and now now… she’d die. The look on Ethel’s beet red face was enough to make her month; year… maybe lifetime she mused, dreamily.

“You’ll both still be punished for breaking the rules and misusing potion ingredients without permission. But I will allow you to gift the potion to Miss Cackle, Mildred.” Her expressions was back to mild discomfort.

“Thank you, Miss Hardbroom.

Ethel was mimicking a croaking frog.

“What about mine, Miss?” She demanded.

Miss Hardbroom turned to her.

“I’d suggest cleaning your cauldron thoroughly so the residue doesn’t affect your class potions, Ethel.” She transferred away with a twist her of hand, leaving a fuming witch on one side and a beaming one on the other.

“It’s a trick!” Ethel shouted. “You tricked her somehow.”

Mildred rolled her eyes.

“Nope! I just made a better potion than you.”

“I think you cheated!”

Mildred stepped down around the cauldron, meeting the fuming blonde halfway.

“I did not!” She held up the ladle of potion. “Try it!”

Ethel’s glare intensified.

“Why? So you can brain wash me too?!”

Mildred grinned.

“So you think my potion could control your mind but not trim your toenails?”

Ethel started but stopped-caught.

“Hardly! You couldn’t make a potion that complicated to save your life.” She huffed, stomping out.

“Got her.” Mildred grinned, going back to her cauldron. She had to bottle some for Miss Cackle and then get back to cleaning the room.

Best day ever.


End file.
